Building structure



May 10, 1958. F, E/MCCABE 2,116,533

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed June 1, 1955 Beank LJVSFGQBQ I. VNTOK E wwww ATTORNiIS Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUILDING STRUCTURE Application June 1, 1935, Serial No. 24,523

Claims.

This invention relates to building structures, and more particularly to face-work building structures, and has for an object the provision of new and improved structures of this character.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, embodiments which my invention may assume, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a building structure, embodying the invention, disclosing parts of thesame in horizontal section, and disclosing parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction,

- Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

I Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, corresponding substantially to the line 3--3 of Figure 1, 90 Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to Figure 1, and disclosing a different embodiment of the invention, while Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 6-45 of Figure 5.

As shown in Figures 1 through 4 of the draw- 30 mg, the invention comprises a building structure,

wherein a plurality of facing panels H] are disposed edge to edge and flatwise along the surface of a supporting wall I l, which may be the front wall of a building or the like, and the panels Ill are secured in position along said wall by a plurality of sets of securing means, each set being indicated generally by the reference character l2, and adapted to be positioned between juxtaposed edges of each pair of panels It; the sets I 2 are duplicates in construction and operation and only one of the same will be described in detail.

H Each of the sets 12 comprises an elongated member I3, preferably of sheet metal, and channel-shaped in cross-section, having an intermediate portion I 4, integrally formed outwardly extending webs l5, merging with inturned overhanging flanges l6, spaced apart to define a continuous slot ll, through which marginal portions of the panels It! may be inserted. The intermediate portion !4 of the member I3 is adapted to rest flat against the face of the supporting wall H, and at intervals along its length is provided with slots l8, each elongated in the direction of the length of the member l3. Associated with each of the slots i8 is an anchoring member l9,

comprising a screw-bolt 26, extending through the slot 18, having a head 2| bearing against the outer face of the intermediate portion M, and a shank threaded into a Wedge part 22, and the wedge part 22 is encased in an expansible sleeve 5 23, which may be of lead. The wedge part 22 and sleeve 23 may be accommodated in a suitable cavity 24 formed in the supporting wall H, and rotation of the bolt 2i] serves to draw the wedge part 22 inwardly and to expand the sleeve 23 into 1.0 anchoring engagement with the wall of the cavity 24. When all of the anchoring members !9 have been tightened, the member i3 is fixedly secured to the supporting wall 5 I, and the slots i8 permit necessary movement incident to expansion and contraction under varying conditions.

Cooperating with each of the fixed members I3 is a plurality of clamping members 25, each preferably in the form of an oblong piece of metal sufficiently long so that when the same is within the channel-shaped formation of the member i3 it will not turn lengthwise thereof, said clamping members 25 being adapted to be inserted through transverse slots 26 in the flanges I6 of the member l3, and when in position presenting 2.5 engaging portions 27 and 28 adapted to cooperate with the inner surfaces 29 of the overhanging flanges 6, to provide clamping means within the channel-shaped formation of the member I 3. Each of the clamping members 25 has threaded 30 therethrough an actuating screw 30 adapted at its inner end to bear upon the inner surface of the intermediate portion l4 and, when adjusted, operating to force the engaging portions 2'! and 28 of the clamping member 25 toward the inner surfaces 29 of the overhanging flanges it, each screw 39 having a kerfed head 3! for accommodation of a tool by means of which the screw 38 may be adjusted.

Each of the sets of securing means I2 is adapted 0 to secure juxtaposed edges of a pair of the panels ill! to the supporting wall II. The panels N! are formed for cooperation with the securing means l2, each of the panels It comprising a channelshaped formation having an intermediate portion 32, an angularly extending web 33 along one edge of the portion and an angularly extending web 3 along the opposite edge of the portion 32, and the web 33 has an inturned marginal flange 35 adapted to be clamped between the clamping surface of the engaging portion 21' of the clamping member 25 and one of the inner surfaces 29 of the adjacent flange it, while the web 34 has an inturned marginal flange 36 adapted to be clamped between the engaging portion 28 and adjacent the inner surface 29 of the flange I6.

Installation of the face-work structure is preferably eifected by first securing a plurality of the members It vertically and in spaced relation along the supporting wall H, through the medium of the anchoring members E9, the members l3 being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of the panels it is desired to use. The clamping members 25 are then inserted at intervals along the length of the member 53 through the slots 26; the marginal flanges 35 and 36 of adjacent panels H] are then inserted through the slot ll into the interior of the channel-shaped formation of. the related member l1, and the screws 30 are then adjusted to clamp the marginal flanges 35 and 36 in position. After all of the clamping members 25 have been adjusted, the space between the webs 33 and 34 of the secured panels ii], may be filled with a suitable filling material, indicated at 31, the heads of the screws 30 and of the anchoring members is providing key means therefor, and in turn being held against accidental loosening by said filling material. Although the securing members iii are shown and described as secured vertically along the supporting wall II, it will be understood that these members may be dis posed horizontally, and the panels [0 secured thereto, or, if desired, the securing members 53 may be arranged both vertically and horizontally to present rectangular formations to which all four edges of the panels iii may be secured, the panels Ii! in this latter case of course having all four edges formed as heretofore described to co operate with the securing means.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, a somewhat different embodiment of the invention is disclosed, comprising elongated securing members 38, each having an intermediate portion 39 and outwardly converging flanges 49 and 4!, the intermediate portion 39 being secured at intervals to the supporting wall 42 by anchoring members (not shown) identical to the anchoring members l9 heretofore described. A plurality of wedgeshaped clamping members 43 are provided for operation within the flanges 46 and 4|, each comprising an intermediate portion 44 through which an actuating screw 45 extends, and having wings 46 and 4'! adapted to cooperate with the flanges 48 and 4!, respectively, to form clamping means. Panels 48 and 49 are provided, each having an intermediate portion 56 and inwardly inclined flanges 5i and 52, the flange 5! of the panel 48 being adapted to be wedged and clamped between the flange 4B and wing 46 and the flange 52 of the panel 39 being adapted to be wedged and clamped between the flange 4i and wing 41, when the screw 45 is rotated, the inner end of the screw 45 bearing upon the inner surface of the intermediate portion 39 and forcing the clamping member 43 outwardly to effect this action.

This construction may be assembled by inserting the flanges 5| and 52 of the panels 48 and 49 within the flanges 48 and ill, and then inserting the clamping members 43 from the end of the member 38, but preferably the clamping members 43 are inserted through slots 53 in the flanges 40 and 4|, then shifted and partially adjusted, and the flanges El and 52 of the panels 48 and 49 may then be inserted between the flanges 40 and 4| of the member 38 and the wings 46 and 41, respectively, of the clamping members 43, and the screws 45 screwed home.

After the panels 48 and 49 are in position, suitable fllling material, indicated at 54, is employed to fill the cracks between the adjoining edges of the panels, and by reason of the undercut formation of the cracks, key means are provided for the filling material, the heads of the screws 35 and of the anchoring members also providing key means, and in turn held by the filling material against accidental loosening.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention, and it also will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. A building structure of the character described, comprising: a support; a facing member having projecting means thereon; a device for securing said facing member to said support, said device including means fixed to said support and having inclined outwardly converging flanges adapted to receive the projecting means of said facing member therebetween; and means arranged within said flanges and engageable with said projecting means to wedge the same forwardly into clamping engagement with said converging flanges.

2. A building structure of the character described, comprising: a support; a facing member having projecting means thereon; a device for securing said facing member to said support, said device including means fixed to said support and having inclined outwardly converging flanges adapted to receive the projecting means of said facing member therebetween; and holding means arranged within said flanges and engageable with said projecting means to wedge the same forwardly into clamping engagement with said converging flanges; said converging flanges having slotted openings to facilitate insertion of said holding means within said flanges.

3. A building structure of the character described, comprising: a support; juxtaposed faci ing members having projecting means thereon; a device for securing said facing members to said support, said device including means fixed to said support and having inclined outwardly converging flanges adapted to receive the projecting means of said facing members therebetween; and means arranged within said flanges and engageable with said projecting means to wedge the same forwardly into clamping engagement with said converging flanges.

4. A building structure of the character described, comprising: a support; juxtaposed facing members having projecting means thereon; a device for securing said facing members to said support, said device including means fixed to said sup-port and having inclined outwardly converging flanges adapted to receive the projecting means of said facing members therebetween, and said projecting means conforming to the contour of said converging flanges; means arranged within said flanges and engageable with said projecting means to wedge the same forwardly into clamping engagement with said converging flanges; and filling means, filling the space between the projecting means of said facing mem- "bers, and keyed by the undercut disposition thereof.

5. A building structure of the character described, comprising: a support; a facing member having projecting'means thereon; a device for securing said facing member to said support, said device including a securing member fixed to said support, channel-shaped in cross-section, and having overhanging flanges, said projecting means of said facing member being adapted to be inserted within the space bounded by said flanges; and clamping means disposed within the channel-shaped securing member, interposed between the base of the latter and the inserted projecting means, bearing upon said base, and constructed and arranged to be spread and thereby clamp said projecting means against the under surface of at least one of said overhanging flanges.

6. A building structure of the character described, comprising: a support; a pair of facing members, each having projecting means thereon; a device for securing said facing members to said support, said device including a securing member fixed to said support, channel-shaped in cross-section, and having overhanging flanges, beneath each of which the projecting means of one of said facing members is adapted to be inserted; and a. single clamping means disposed within the channel-shaped securing member, interposed between the base of the latter and the inserted projecting means, bearing upon said base, and constructed and arranged to be spread and thereby engage and clamp the projecting means of each of said facing members against the under surface of one of said overhanging flanges.

7. A building structure comprising: a facing member; supporting means, including housing means having an outwardly extending inclined overhanging wedge surface; and spreadable wedge means disposed within said housing, adapted to spread and to cooperate with said wedge surface, and constructed and arranged when spread to move outwardly, and remaining to clamp said facing means in position with respect to said housing.

8. A building structure comprising: a facing member; supporting means, including a device having outwardly extending, spaced converging means, oneof which has a wedge surface; and spreadable wedge means. disposed between said converging means, constructed and arranged to be spread and when spread to move outwardly, said wedge means also being shiftable as a unit with respect to said device until spread, and remaining when spread to clamp said facing member to said device.

9. A device for securing a facing member to a support, said device including a first wall having a portion presenting a continuous surface, adapted to be secured to said support, and a spaced wall connected with, and overhanging the continuous surface portion of said first wall, said spaced wall being adapted to receive therebeneath projecting means of said facing member; and holding means interposed between the continuous surface portion of said first wall and said inserted projecting means, and bearing upon said continuous surface, said holding means being shiftable as a unit toany position with reference to the continuous surface of said first wall, and constructed and arranged to be elongated between said continuous surface and said projecting means and thereby to clamp the latter in position, said holding means including means projecting exteriorly of said overhanging spaced wall, and accessible for manipulation to loosen or tighten said holding means.

10. A building structure comprising: a facing member having projecting means thereon; supporting means, including a device secured to said supporting means and having outwardly spaced means beneath which the projecting means on said facing member is adapted to be disposed, said supporting means having a portion lying beneath said outwardly spaced means presenting a continuous surface; and spreadable clamping means interposed between the continuous surface of said supporting means and said projecting means, and bearing against said continuous surface, and constructed and arranged to be spread, and thereby to clamp said projecting means in position against the under surface of said outwardly spaced means, said spreadable clamping means when loosened, being shiftable as a unit along saidcontinuous surface, and reengageable at any point therealong, said clamping means extending outwardly beyond said outwardly spaced means to present means exteriorly accessible by which said clamping means may be manipulated.

FRANK E. MCCABE. 

